10K Ambala farmers fail to get fresh instalment of PM-KISAN

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, November 20

Over 10,500 farmers in the district have not received the 15th instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme due to pending e-KYC, land verification and Aadhar seeding with the bank account.

According to the data, there are 53,433 Aadhar-authenticated farmers in the district. Of these, 42,902 farmers have received the 15th instalment under the scheme released on November 15, leaving 10,531 farmers out of the list of beneficiaries.

The scheme was launched in 2019 to provide minimum income support of Rs 6,000 to small and marginal farmers every year. The amount is given in three instalments of Rs 2,000 every four months.

As per an Agriculture Department official, 6,750 of the 10,531 farmers, who failed to get the instalment, failed to get their e-KYC done even though its deadline was extended repeatedly. Last year, the Union Government had made the e-KYC mandatory for registered farmers to avail financial benefits under the scheme.

“The higher authorities have issued direction that the 15th instalment would not be released until the e-KYC of the beneficiary was completed. The last date of e-KYC completion was September 15. It was extended repeatedly, yet these farmers did not get it done,” the official said.

He said that it had been observed that death certificates of a number of farmers, who have passed away, were yet to be received. Besides, many farmers were abroad and thus their e-KYC was pending.

“We are requesting the kin of farmers, who have died, to submit the death certificates and also get the data updated so that the person who now owns the agricultural land can get the benefit,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ambala Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA) Dr Jasvinder Singh said, “Many beneficiaries are currently employed in different jobs, getting pension or file income tax returns, due to which they are not getting the e-KYC done.”

The DDA urged the eligible farmers to get their e-KYC done so that they could continue to get the instalments on time. “Those who did not the instalment this time will get it along with the next instalment, if they get their e-KYC done and complete the other formalities, including land verification and Aadhar seeding with the bank account.”

Urged to get e-KYC done

Many beneficiaries are currently employed in different jobs, getting pension or file income tax returns, due to which they are not getting the e-KYC done. Eligible farmers should get it done so that they can continue to get the instalments on time. Those who did not get the instalment this time will get it, along with the next one, if the formalities are complete. Dr Jasvinder Singh, deputy director agriculture (dda), Ambala